


Blue Crescent Moon

by Spunky0ne



Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-24
Updated: 2013-12-27
Packaged: 2017-12-21 04:56:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/896045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spunky0ne/pseuds/Spunky0ne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Grimmjow finds a raped and beaten Byakuya in the ruins of Las Noches. He surprises himself by agreeing to assist the shinigami in attempting to find a cure for a poison that is killing Rukia and several others. mpreg</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Refugee

Grimmjow was a hollow…and a powerful one at that. That being said…he wondered how he could be a hollow, and yet hold his brethren in such low regard. Of course, the bulk of the hollows were low level trash that couldn't even speak…lanky and bulky twists and turns of smelly flesh and bone. They could barely think, let alone conform to a code of honor. He cringed to think that they were in any way connected to him.

Hollows…

The gathering of dark emotion held within a dying soul and carried into Hueco Mundo to form its heartless body. They were heartless, but that did not mean that they did not get cut and feel pain…that they did not bleed and desire life. In fact, the higher the level of the hollow, the more developed the consciousness…the more depth there was to the emotions that drove them.

But even those more powerful than he didn't seem to have that something inside that he did. He wondered if somehow, when he became a hollow, he hadn't lost his heart in it's entirety. But he must have. If he hadn't, then what was this hole in him…and why was there such power in his anger? He stood above the entrance to his cave and wondered.

He wondered too at why he was still here. He had thought himself killed when Kurosaki Ichigo had brought him down…and indeed, he should have died. He had a very vague memory of the girl's eyes…of just a touch as Ichigo led her past him…a whisper of forgiveness…and then, for a time, there was darkness. He woke in his cave…and some time after learned of Aizen Sousuke's capture. It didn't hurt him at all to know his former lord was gone and he had no compunction to try to free him. He had been a fool to believe in the shinigami. He had been given hope to tease him into cooperating…but then he had been used…used not to gain something better, as he thought, but as someone Ichigo trod on on his way to glory. He didn't hate Ichigo for beating him. Each had given his best and the youth had been stronger. It wasn't worth it to hate Ichigo for that.

But he couldn't get past the fact that he should have died…

He sat in the sand outside his cave, looking back at the darkened fortress…emptied now of leadership and left to decay. He wondered who was left to lead. He didn't, for a moment, consider fighting for it himself. Although now the strongest of the Arrancar left in the ruins of Aizen's plans, he had no wish to spend the rest of his life trying to stay on top. It simply wasn't worth it.

His thoughts were interrupted by a disturbance in reiatsu levels around the fortress. He sighed softly, recognizing the feel of shinigami power. They must have come again to search the fortress…but what they needed, he had no idea. With Aizen gone, it was especially dangerous in the world of the hollows. There was no order…and there wouldn't be until someone stepped forward to lead. Grimmjow resolved to remain apart from it all. None of it had anything to do with him anyway. He looked back at the fortress and watched as zanpakutou releases cracked and lit the night. Yes, it was even dark inside the fortress, now that Aizen's false light had followed him into the hell he deserved.

Grimmjow yawned and lifted himself, slipping inside the cave and dropping into his bed. Everything went quiet and eventually, even the distant sounds of battle faded away. When he woke in the early morning, all was quiet again. He ate a quiet breakfast, then, for reasons he couldn't quite fathom, turned towards Las Noches.

He was there in a short time, standing in the deserted courtyard and gazing at the devastated entry doors. So the shinigamis had come for something in the fortress…or maybe someone. Aizen had left some prisoners in the detention levels. He thought, perhaps, it might have been a rescue mission. Looking at the number of both shinigami and hollow bodies lying around, he wagered it was ridiculous for them to have come.

He passed through the courtyard and into the fortress, stepping over the bodies that littered the entry and stairs, that lined the hallways. He thought he could smell fire…and he felt the distant pulses of lives fading slowly away. He stopped at the throne room door and looked in at Aizen's white throne, now sprinkled with blood and deeply cracked…and the table that the Espada had shared for meetings, now broken and half burned. He sighed softly and turned out of the room, feeling heavy and dull. If he'd had a heart, he knew that it would be heavy. It had all been a lie. Aizen had only used them to propel himself forward.

He left the throne room and found his way to the kitchens. Much had been plundered, but there were still some good things left to eat. After sating himself, he felt better, as though the fog of unhappiness he'd felt over being so used by Aizen Sousuke was beginning to lift.

He moved on past the kitchens, living areas and training rooms, then down a large flight of stairs and into the colder detention levels. As he arrived there, he heard laughter, rustling and the sounds of someone in pain. Several voices were rising up, loud and mocking, urging someone to 'break him,' 'fuck him into the ground,' and 'make him bleed.'

"Fucking morons," he hissed.

Not that he liked the shinigamis. He didn't. But despite being a hollow…Grimmjow had a sense of right and wrong. To inflict pain in an interrogation or to achieve something important was one thing, and even to swiftly kill an opponent was fine, but to take one already fallen and to subject him to needless torment…

"Damn you…just kill the poor bastard and have done with it…"

From the sound of the shinigami's voice, it sounded as though death wasn't too far off. He started to turn away, but heard another voice.

"Heal him. We'll save him for later."

Grimmjow waited until the flare of healing reiatsu had faded and the voices had gone quiet, then moved forward into the rows of cells. Most held disgustingly desecrated bodies and some were empty…but one held a pulsing reiatsu that suggested someone of some actual power. It was power sealed away or, he sensed, these weaklings would never have had their way with him.

They had healed him enough so that he would hurt, but not die…and then left him conscious…surrounded in darkness and death…one hell of a nightmare come true, to Grimmjow's way of thinking. He considered killing the man, but as he moved into the room, the captive's head turned and soft gray eyes reflected a thin shaft of moonlight.

He knew immediately why the bastards had kept him alive…

Even beaten and bloodied, bruised and tormented, he could tell the man was both beautiful and powerful. There was strength of spirit left in his eyes…a will that hadn't been shattered. The poor son of a bitch wanted to live…thought he actually had a chance. Grimmjow shook his head in disbelief. He could see that this man was as strong as he was…or maybe stronger. He was hurting, but there was something in the calm, dark eyes that suggested that pain was something he was accustomed to. And it was, perhaps that that made Grimmjow move closer.

He met the beautiful eyes, the cold gaze and hardened expression. He knew already that this enemy was different. He only waited to learn what form that difference would take. He was distracted for a moment by voices in the distance.

"We're bringing 'The Beast' down to finish him…after we have our fun with him one more time. There's no way we'll hold him for long. He will break the seal soon…shame, too…really soft skin and smells good…"

They might, he thought, be weaklings, but they weren't completely stupid. To hold this man for any length of time would not be accomplished by these. It would take power on the level of Grimmjow's. The hollow sighed and glared into the shinigami's eyes.

"Do you want me to kill you before they get here? I will be faster and more merciful than the one they're bringing."

The man blinked and considered his offer for a moment.

"I would much prefer to live," he stated softly.

Grimmjow couldn't stifle a sudden laugh.

"Shinigami, you are fucked coming and going," he said, shaking his head, "You're going to die, one way or another."

"Ah…so you will absolve me of pain, but will not loose me and allow me to at least have an opportunity to earn my freedom?"

"What the fuck do you want?" Grimmjow chuckled, "I'm a hollow! You're a shinigami. We're natural enemies. Why should I save you?"

"I'm not saying that you should. I'm asking if you will."

He felt a sudden twinge of liking for the shinigami. He knew it was stupid…but he could always change his mind and kill the fucker if he got troublesome…

"So if I do that, what will you do for me?"

It was a fair question, all things considered…

"Did you have something in mind?" the man asked, his eyes curious.

"No, not really," Grimmjow admitted, "but seeing as how you're about to become lunch for the beast, I'll just have to think of something later."

He snapped the kido that held the shinigami down and helped him to his feet. He checked the binding on his hands and led him out of the cell. He heard footsteps in the corridor and turned the shingami down another passage, then slowly worked the two of them back to the courtyard. He heard a ruckus building up behind them as the others realized that their captive was gone.

"I'm going to have to carry you," he said shortly and lifted the surprisingly light body over a shoulder.

He heard no sound of disapproval and when he glanced at his captive's face, his eyes were focused on the fortress…and Grimmjow could feel that he was shaking. He pretended not to notice and moved on through the darkness to his cave. He entered the main room, but moved to the very back and placed his hand on the rock wall. The stone glowed blue and opened the way into a hidden chamber. It had been his refuge when he was younger and had too many strong enemies…and now it sheltered this shinigami. He thought again about what he had done and glanced at the man, who was standing in the dark chamber and waiting quietly. Grimmjow lit a kido lamp, then motioned for the man to sit on the bed. He went over the shinigami's body slowly, from head to toe, healing any injuries he could find. It made him sick inside to see the damage done to such a beautiful body.

"Tell me something, shinigami," he said quietly, "How in the hell were you still able to walk? They beat the living shit out of you and then some!"

The dark eyes locked on his thoughtfully for a moment, then looked away. Grimmjow slipped a hand beneath his chin and locked eyes with him again.

"Damn! Even after the shit they did to you, you still look too damned pretty for your own good," he muttered.

He helped the shinigami to his feet again and led him to a fall of water at the back of the chamber that he used a cero to warm. He looked into the dark eyes warningly.

"Don't think of attacking me or trying to run. This chamber can only be opened by me, so you will be powerless and trapped if you knock me out or kill me. Understand?"

The shingami nodded. Grimmjow released the bindings on his hands and left the chamber to allow him to bathe. He sat in the outer cave, wondering what in the hell he was thinking, keeping a shinigami as a pet, but couldn't quite think of himself as wholly stupid for doing so. It was nice to have intelligent company…and not all shinigamis were bad. Not all of them were like Aizen. He yawned and leaned back against the wall, looking out of the cave. In moments, he was asleep.

He woke sometime later and turned back towards the chamber, then realized that he hadn't closed the door all of the way. A dark shiver went through him as he studied the empty inner chamber for a moment and considered how easily the shinigami could have slit his throat. He shook his head and tried not to think on that particular bit of stupidity. Stepping outside and looking around briefly, he was somewhat amazed at how well the man had covered his tracks…so thoroughly that Grimmjow couldn't sense them. He shook his head and sighed.

"It's better this way," he said softly, "Wouldn't have known what to do with him anyway."

He turned back into the cave and passed into the inner chamber, then closed it behind him. He moved towards the shower and disrobed, then slipped in under the little waterfall, and slowly washed away the day's tension. It wasn't until he had exited the shower and dried off and was slipping back into his clothes that he realized that the bed across the room was not empty. He crossed the room and looked down at the shinigami questioningly.

"What the fuck are you still doing here?" he asked, trying not to sound as shocked as he was, "You could have walked out of here and gone free. What's in your head, Shinigami?"

The man sat up and Grimmjow felt a soft jolt in his stomach. He had put on one of Grimmjow's own yukatas, his own clothes being torn and stained with dirt, blood and semen. The sky blue fabric covered the soft, pale flesh of his body, but was revealing enough to make Grimmjow have to try not to stare. His hair was long, thick and coal black, raining down his back and falling delicately over one eye in the front. One look was enough to tell him not to let the shinigami outside for a moment. Nothing that beautiful would last five minutes in Hueco Mundo now…

"You going to answer me?" he asked, almost growling.

"I cannot return to Soul Society. I have not completed my mission," the man said simply.

"Your mission?" mused Grimmjow, "Shinigami, you just got captured, beaten and fucked by a horde of hollows! Who gives a rat's ass about your mission? Fuck the mission! You should have left."

"I cannot," the man went on, "Even if my mission had been completed, I cannot get back unless a garganta is opened for me."

"Look…I kinda like you. Don't have a clue why, but there's something about you I like. Just…I'll open a garganta and you can go home. You do want to go home, right? Don't you have a family?"

The man nodded.

"It is my family, my sister in particular, that is the reason for my mission."

"If your sister is here, then she's already dead…or at least, you'd best hope she is!"

"No…she is not here. My sister came here with Kurosaki Ichigo and some other of her friends…and while they were here, she was somehow given a slow poison. The others were all poisoned as well, and none of our healers can cure them. We know they were infected here…we don't know how. We have put them in a state of cryogenic suspension, but unless we find a cure, they will not survive."

"Huh," huffed Grimmjow, "I think I remember her. You do know that I attacked her, right? Half killed her?"

"I am aware…but I am also aware that you were under Aizen's direction at the time."

"And you'll let it slide because you're desperate?"

"I will not leave this place without a cure. I must save her!" the shinigami insisted.

"You're crazy," mused Grimmjow, "You're throwing your life away. You're not even going to save her. You're just going to die too!"

The calm, gray eyes locked on his.

"You could have joined the others and tormented me," he said softly, "but not only did you not do that, you freed me and healed me. You are a hollow, but you have a sense of justice…a code of honor. You can help me."

"I'm not going to help you kill yourself," said the Espada gruffly, "You want to die, set one foot outside without me! You will be recaptured and you will be killed this time! End of story!"

"You can protect me…and I will serve you…only help me to save my sister and I will owe you my life."

"I don't fucking want your life! And I don't need complications! You have no idea what you are asking me to do!"

"I am asking you to help me save my sister. I am trading my freedom to you so that you will help me!"

Grimmjow let out a frustrated breath and went silent.

"I have never done right by my sister…but I cannot fail her now. It would destroy me anyway. I could not live with myself if I failed her. I have to do this…I have to…"

Grimmjow studied the man's eyes and gazed for several long minutes at him. Finally, he gave a long sigh.

"I'm fucking crazy for listening to you, but I'll tell you what…I'll take you up on serving me…just while you and I search for that cure…and I will help you. I won't make you stay once the cure is found…but while you are here, you belong to me…understand?"

The shinigami lowered his eyes and nodded.

"I am ready to serve you," he said quietly.

"Well," said Grimmjow, sitting down on the bed, "not as part of your service, but because it is part of protecting you, I have to mark you as mine. Otherwise, others will try to hurt you or take you away. They are wary of my power…so if you bear my marking, then they will back off. They'll know that if they touch you…they will die."

"And how is one 'marked?'" the shinigami asked softly.

"It's a sort of ritual marking," explained the Espada, "While taking you sexually, I place a reiatsu marker on your body. The hollows will sense it when they approach you and they will know you are mine. Most of them won't fuck with you…especially once I restore your powers."

"You will…"

"The ritual only works if it is a willing exchange. I agree to protect you and you agree to be mine. The marker will fade when I release you."

He waited several minutes, watching the play of mixed emotions in the shinigami's expressive eyes. His body betrayed little, Grimmjow realized, but his eyes gave everything away.

"You having second thoughts?" he asked, noticing a slight tension in the pale hands.

"No," said the man quietly, "You may proceed."

Grimmjow nodded briefly, his cock twitching at the thought of what he was about to do. He wondered if he was being incredibly stupid…taking this shinigami as his own like that…but Hueco Mundo had become a damned lonely place…and even if it was only for awhile, the shinigami's body looked deliciously warm and soft…comforting in the midst of such cold deadness.

He lit candles around the bed and then sat down next to the man.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"I am no one here…so I will ask you to name me."

"You're kidding, right?" laughed Grimmjow, but the shinigami's face looked completely serious.

He leaned forward and took hold of the soft yukata, pulling the shinigami closer and taking the light, sweet lips. He expected that after the treatment he had gotten at the hands of the other hollows, that he might be resistant, but he remained light and pliable in Grimmjow's arms as he lowered him onto his back and opened the yukata, revealing in full, that slender, lovely body that was about to be made his.

He rested his body on top of the other and sent his reiatsu humming all through his body and radiating outward. He curled it in a blue swirl around the two of them, cutting them off from everything outside the circle. He took his time working his way from head to toe, touching the shinigami's body and placing his reiatsu, using small flares of his power to lock it into place beneath the shinigami's skin. And when he had completed the exchange, Grimmjow couldn't help but notice that the lovely body was trembling softly, that there was a light flush on his white skin, that his eyes had gone hazy, and that his cock was beautifully erect. He pressed his body down hard against the other and moved his hips, sliding his length along the shinigami's and making him tighten his hands on the hollow's strong shoulders and catch his breath. Slowly, Grimmjow lowered a hand to the man's wrists and released the seal on his powers. Their eyes met.

"Last chance, Shinigami," the Espada said, touching his face to make his eyes clear, "Once I take you, the markers settle. Once I take you, you belong to me…until I let you go. Are you sure you want to do this?"

The dark eyes closed for a moment, then opened again, and the shinigami nodded.

"Okay," whispered the Espada, "I guess you know what you're doing."

He started to turn the man onto his stomach, but saw a sudden flare of apprehension in the dark eyes.

"Sorry…" he said, "I thought maybe you wouldn't want it to be that…intimate."

The shingami only blinked slowly and looked back at him quietly. He laid his body down on top of the shinigami again and nudged his thighs apart. He wet his fingers in the man's mouth and carefully prepared him, watching the pretty dark eyes for signs of pain. The pain, he realized, was mostly emotional. The other hollows had been brutal with him. Grimmjow would have understood if he'd started screaming at the idea of another hollow fucking him, but this shinigami, he found, was different from anyone he had ever met. He held himself still, even when Grimmjow knew it must have hurt him some. He met the Espada's eyes without fear or aggression. He was only calm, quiet and distant…as if he had given himself over and accepted it for what it was. And as he sank into that wonderfully soft flesh, Grimmjow felt something stir inside. It almost made him stop, but it felt too good, thrusting into that hot, tight place, to look into that calm expression, to watch it slowly change as the intensity of their coupling grew. Their reiatsu flared around them as their bodies arched into each other…as the reiatsu markers he had placed flared and settled. Grimmjow closed his eyes and lowered his head, sucking at the white skin of the shinigami's throat. He was trying to be gentle, but his hunger for pleasure raged and made him thrust in harder, faster, more eagerly. The shinigami let out a shivering moan of abandon and his body shuddered beneath the Espada's. Grimmjow met the dark eyes with something between warmth and wariness, then pleasure overtook him and he gasped softly and felt the hot pulses explode from him and fill the one beneath him. He kissed the solemn, sweet lips again and let his body rest there on top of his new servant. He felt a twinge of guilt at the hint of pain that was in the shinigami's eyes, but he consoled himself with the knowledge that the man wouldn't have left, even if he'd personally opened a garganta for him. This was a willing exchange…a fair deal for both. He wasn't doing anything wrong by claiming his willing servant sexually.

As he drifted towards sleep, Grimmjow wondered when 'doing the right thing' had become important to him…

"What do I call you?" the shinigami asked softly, tearing him away from his thoughts.

"You call me Grimmjow," he answered, rubbing his lips against the other's and enjoying the soft, flowery scent around him, "and what shall I call you?"

"That is your decision," said the man.

Grimmjow sighed.

"Then I guess it's just Shinigami…at least until something else comes to me…"

He pulled the shinigami onto his chest and watched as he drifted off to sleep. He had to admit that his current situation beat the hell out of being alone. But something deep inside made him wonder if he hadn't set himself up for a really big fall.


	2. Establishing Boundaries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byakuya observes Grimmjow closely as the two bond.

Byakuya came awake with a start, his mind breaking free of the nightmare he had been in, but waking up to find that the real nightmare refused to pass. While certainly there was still hope of completing his mission, that hope now hung upon a decidedly unstable hollow and him. He studied the hollow's slightly frowning face for a moment, then carefully touched his face and deepened his sleep. As Grimmjow slept, Byakuya rose and knelt next to him, focusing his power and scanning his body from head to toe. When he was done, the noble slipped out of bed and moved to the hollow's zanpakutou. He studied it carefully, noting its unique specifications, then placed it as he had found it. Leaving Grimmjow sleeping, he put on a hooded cloak he found and slipped through the open door, to the outer room in the cave, then out into the darkness. He summoned a hell butterfly and whispered to make sure he was not heard.

_"Our group crossed into Hueco Mundo two days ago. Upon reaching the fortress, we ascertained that there is little to no order in this place. We attempted to search the fortress for the documents that might have led us to the cure for the poison, but in the midst of the search, we were attacked and all but Rikichi and I were killed. Rikichi was carried off by a female hollow that might have been part equine. I have heard nothing of his fate. I was captured and briefly imprisoned in the fortress, but was taken into the custody of the one indicated as my target. While not the strongest in the way of power, he is sufficiently skilled and knowledgeable to make him useful. His mental and emotional makeup indicates an active code of honor…as was suggested in the notes gathered from his prior interactions with our forces. I have placed myself close to him and will continue to observe him and send reports as I am able. My next objectives are to first, return to Las Noches to search the records in the infirmary and second, to seek information on a hollow referred to as 'The Beast,' who seems to dominate the ones living in the fortress. I suspect that it may be stronger than the one I am with, however, from all I have heard, it seems to possess little knowledge or sense of honor. I believe that to establish leadership one must first destroy this creature."_

Byakuya fell silent and released the hell butterfly, watching as it rose into the dark sky and disappeared. He sighed softly, feeling the heat on his skin where the hollow had marked him. The marks were not visible, but he felt the dark reiatsu there inside him. His body stilled hummed with warmth from their coupling and as he stood, looking up at the moon, his mind replayed the surprisingly gentle exchange. He hadn't known what the ritual would entail when he had read about it, but he had been certain (and correct) in concluding that it was the best way to connect with the hollow, to establish a place close to him and to watch him. What happened after that would be a mixture of fate and choices. He only hoped that what he had done hadn't been a mistake. While he thought it the best way to address Soutaichou's subdirective on his mission, he was certain that if the captain commander ever learned what he had done, he might spend some serious time contemplating the stars from inside the Seireitei's own prison. Still…he had to achieve both missions. It had been the only way to secure permission to enter Hueco Mundo to find the cure for Rukia, Renji, Ichigo, Uryu, Chad and Orihime…yes…their best hope of rejecting the poison also lay frozen, unable to use her powers…and thus, the situation had become alarmingly desperate, triggering his request of the captain commander.

_"Soutaichou, I must seek a cure for my sister's condition. I understand that Hueco Mundo is in disarray and that I face untenable odds in this. Still, if I approach with a small, highly skilled group, we should be able to slip in and out again…and will, of course provide full details on the conditions in Hueco Mundo, which I know would be of value to you."_

_"The knowledge would be extremely useful in helping us determine how best to bring our respective regimes into better balance. You have my permission to go…however…while you search for your sister, I have a specific task for you to carry out. It is critical that this task be completed and you are one of the few who would possess the ability and powers to address it. I warn you…you will be in constant peril once you have entered that world…and to stabilize the balance between us, you must not fail. See to your sister's cure, but do not try to return until you have also completed my subdirective, do you understand?"_

_"Hai, Soutaichou."_

_"Very well. Gather your team. Good luck and may kami walk with you."_

"You shouldn't be out here alone," Grimmjow's voice said from behind him, "even bearing my mark, you will still have some enemies, Shinigami."

Byakuya turned and met the hollow's eyes.

"I am aware of this. That is why I put on the cloak and hood before leaving the cave."

"Yeah, I didn't think you were that stupid…just a little on the reckless side, ne?"

He sighed and turned his eyes upward.

"Kinda makes us two of a kind…"

"How do you mean?"

"I mean I do things that are reckless sometimes…like listening to my conscience and rescuing you. That was reckless. It's likely to piss some of them off. We may end up getting some unwanted attention at some point. I know you are powerful…but I also noticed that you had no zanpakutou with you."

"It was broken in battle and is restoring itself. Once it has been fully restored, it will return to my hand when I call it. In the meantime, my kido skills will have to suffice."

"How good is your kido?"

Byakuya turned and raised his reiatsu, then fired twin blasts of blue fire at a boulder. The boulder exploded instantly, the blue flame that claimed it lighting up the area around them. Grimmjow blinked and stared.

"Yeah," he said, trying to sound unintimidated, "That should be useful. Just…try not to attract unnecessary attention like that. Flashy displays will catch the attention of the ones seeking supremacy. I have no interest in fighting them."

"Why not?" Byakukya asked quietly.

"Because I'm not a leader, that's why…and because I don't give a damn what happens to these bastards. A leader should care what happens to the ones who follow him, don't you think, Shinigami?" the blue-haired man asked, "Doesn't the one who leads you care about what happens to you? Though I wonder what the fuck he was thinking sending you here. I would say him sending you here is akin to wanting you to die."

"He understood my need to save my sister…and everyone who accompanied me was determined to be there. We chose our fate because we were protecting what is important to us. He wasn't going to stop us by refusing to allow us to come. He knew that. It didn't matter that he cared. Caring wasn't enough to stop us and he understood that."

"Kinda makes you wonder what was in it for him," said Grimmjow.

Byakuya turned his eyes back to the stars and didn't answer.

"Well," Grimmjow went on, "you said that you needed to find the information to help your sister. I think that we need to go back to Las Noches to do that, but we'll take a different way in to avoid attention. You can mask your reiatsu, right?"

Byakuya nodded and focused, shading his reiatsu until it resembled that of a hollow.

"Good," said Grimmjow, "Keep it like that until we get back from there. If possible, I would like to keep it quiet that you are a shinigami. Let them think you are a hollow. Keep yourself cloaked and hooded unless I tell you to remove it. I know that, being a powerful shinigami, you are probably not used to keeping a low profile, but I call the shots. I have the most knowledge of this place and you'll need to trust me that this is the best way. Come on."

Byakuya followed as the hollow turned in the direction of the fortress. They moved across the darkened desert at flash step speed and angled around to the back of the fortress. Grimmjow led him to a receiving area and down a broken conveyor belt that had carried shipments into and out of the fortress. They dropped down off of the conveyor belt and followed a maze of silent corridors. As they neared the infirmary, screams rose up in the distance. Byakuya froze, listening to the sounds. Grimmjow glanced at him and shook his head angrily.

"Bastards don't have humans or shinigamis to attack, so they're attacking weaker hollows. Fucking idiots…it's always something…"

"What should we do about it?" asked Byakuya, earning a sharp glare in response.

"We fucking stay out of it," Grimmjow snapped, leading him on, "It's none of our business what those freaks do to each other. Maybe they'll just wipe each other out and do us all a huge favor."

"Is that really what you think?" Byakuya asked softly.

The hollow loosed an annoyed breath.

"Hell no…but it's what I know. There's a difference in the two that you learn pretty damned quick here or you die, Shinigami. Remember that. You start worrying about defending the hollows and your sister's going to die. You don't want that, right?"

Byakuya shook his head.

"Then ignore them and come this way."

The noble obeyed, but his eyes continued to stray in the direction of the continuing screams and his body shook softly with rage.

"You don't like it, do you?" asked Grimmjow.

"What?" asked Byakuya, distracted.

"You're one of those hero types, right? If a guy's weaker than you, then you feel like you have to stand up for him. It doesn't really matter that some of the ones screaming and dying down there might have been the ones raping you yesterday. You hear them screaming and know that they're suffering at the hands of stronger hollows and you feel their pain. You have an impulse to save them…because they're weaker guys getting beat on."

"I have no compassion for those who take advantage of those weaker than they are, shinigami, human or hollow."

"In that order, right?" Grimmjow said, smiling at him, "Just trust me. The ones doing the screaming would do the same to the ones weaker than them. It's the way they are."

"How do any hollows manage to live long enough to age?" Byakuya asked in a low voice, "How do any children survive?"

"They die quickly as they are devoured by stronger ones…unless they find someone to protect them…kinda like you turning to me for your protection, though I suspect you'd do better than most on your own."

"If that's so, then why did you take me as your own?" Byakuya asked, meeting his eyes.

Grimmjow's smile widened.

"I told you. I can't figure out why, but I kinda like you. And it's been boring as hell around here. I might have died of boredom if you hadn't come along."

He studied Byakuya's expression and laughed softly.

"You don't like your fate hanging on something so frivolous, do you?"

Byakuya sighed.

"Better that than dying in the prisons at the hands of those creatures," he commented.

"I am one of those creatures," Grimmjow replied meaningfully, "Don't forget that, Shinigami. I may eventually decide I don't like you and I might kill you. So use me for your protection, but don't be stupid enough to trust me."

"You use the same reasoning as Aizen Sousuke," Byakuya said quietly.

Grimmjow turned and struck him hard, sending him crashing onto the wall. The wall shattered and the noble was forced through and into the next room. He sat for a moment in the wreckage of the ruined wall, studying the blood on his skin and ignoring Grimmjow, who had followed him into the room. The hollow stood over him, glaring down at him with rage in his eyes.

"Don't ever compare me to that son of a bitch…not ever!" he said angrily, "Aizen Sousuke was one of yours, Shinigami. You would be smart to remember that! He came here acting like he was one thing…figuring out what it was that the powerful hollows wanted the most and holding it out like a carrot in front of us. We followed because we wanted what he promised, but his promises disappeared and left most of us dead! If it hadn't been for Orihime feeling sorry and touching me as she passed, I would have died with them! I am still here by mistake. Aizen wanted us all dead in the end!"

"Were you aware that Orihime is among the ones poisoned?" Byakuya asked, wiping the blood from his mouth.

"What?" the hollow asked sharply.

"I would have thought it would have occurred to you in that we did not turn to her to heal the others. She was overcome, as were Rukia, Ichigo, Abarai Renji, Chad and Uryuu. All of them are dying."

Grimmjow closed his eyes against the noble's words, then suddenly disappeared, leaving Byakuya sitting alone in the rubble. He climbed to his feet and continued in the direction they had been going, moving somewhat gingerly and holding his sword arm close to his body. In a short time, he located the infirmary and stepped inside, looking around cautiously and extending his senses. Reading the area as safe, he slipped inside and located what appeared to be a records computer. He frowned at the smashed monitor and moved on to a large set of file cabinets. He worked his way through them, carefully withdrawing several files. Glancing back at the door, he also took Grimmjow's file and slipped it inside one of the others. Still alone and uncertain how to proceed, he sat down at a table and opened the file on Rukia. Almost immediately, he located references to him and a picture as well. His eyes on the door, he took the picture and information about him and sent it through the shredding machine he found in one of the offices. He returned to the table and started to open Rukia's file again. It was then that he noticed that the screaming had stopped. He sat in the sudden silence, his heart racing softly. Then, he rose and moved back in the direction of the detention area. He met no one in the dark hallways and only silence met him upon his arrival in the prison. He moved forward cautiously, frowning in confusion as he found that the cells were empty of prisoners.

"You look surprised," said Grimmjow, startling the noble.

He chuckled at the noble's odd expression.

"Well…you said I should do something."

"And you care what I think?" Byakuya asked, "Why?"

Grimmjow scowled.

"Shut up…and come on. It looks like you found those files. Let's go. You can read through them back at the cave."

Byakuya followed him out of the fortress and back across the desert. Both were silent as they went and did not exchange any more words until they arrived at the cave. Grimmjow led him inside.

"Sit down," he said gruffly, "Let me take care of those injuries."

"I'm fine," Byakuya replied, dropping down to kneel on the cave floor.

Grimmjow watched as he began to pore over the files, then shook his head and knelt next to him. Healing power flared around his hands. Byakuya flinched and caught his breath, but said nothing as the hollow healed the damage he had caused. He sat next to Byakuya afterward, watching him read.

"You understand that you can't compare me to him, okay? I am nothing like that bastard. I may be a hollow, but even I wouldn't do what he did, not just to the hollows, his enemies, but to his own kind!"

"My apologies, Grimmjow," said Byakuya, observing him for a moment out of the corner of an eye, "It is only that your words were the same as his. I wasn't suggesting that your values were necessarily the same."

Grimmjow froze at the sound of the shinigamis voice saying his name. He watched as Byakuya continued to read, then leaned forward and lowered the light until the shinigami looked up at him.

"You can finish after we get some sleep," he said, taking hold of a slender hand, "Come on."

Byakuya said nothing, but set the file down and followed Grimmjow to the bed. The hollow climbed into the bed and pulled Byakuya in next to him. He curled his body around the shinigami's and nuzzled his throat near the shell of an ear. His warm breath sent a soft shiver through the noble and his heart raced softly as the hollow's lips brushed against his throat. He didn't resist in any way, but Grimmjow felt the tension in his body and sighed resignedly. He withdrew then and turned away, saying nothing.

Byakuya rested in the darkness next to him, studying the soft, blue hair and the white skin of his shoulders and back. He hesitated for a long moment, then moved closer and found the hollow's hand. He laced their fingers together and settled at Grimmjow's back. The hollow turned and met his eyes questioningly. Byakuya stared at him silently, remaining still as the hollow sat up and brought him up as well. He turned and brought their mouths together, keeping the pressure light. Byakuya met him with parted lips and half-lidded eyes.

Grimmjow hadn't intended to do much more than kissing. He figured that Byakuya hadn't really enjoyed their lovemaking before and didn't really want it to happen again. He was taken by surprise as the shinigami's lips left his and traveled in a long, slow fall of kisses down his chest and abdomen. He moved down between the Espada's parted thighs and continued to kiss his way down to the soft sac at the base of his already aching arousal. He was tempted to say something flippant, but was struck silent by the sight of the lovely shinigami wrapping that perfect mouth around his sac, sucking gently and stroking him with a teasing tongue. The slender, graceful fingers found his length and wrapped around, sliding up and down the long, thick shaft and milking drops of warm fluid from the head. Grimmjow barely held onto his composure as he stopped and ran his tongue from base to tip, then licked the leaking fluid from the end, before taking his full length into that hot mouth and sinking down on him. If the shinigami hadn't chosen that moment to press down at the base of his bulging erection, he would have climaxed then. As it was, the shinigami held him trapped at the edges of bliss, that sinful mouth teasing him to the brink of insanity.

Finally, he could take no more. Strong hands fastened on Byakuya and dragged him upward. He moved with the Espada as Grimmjow turned and pushed him down onto his back. He barely had the presence of mind to properly prepare his shinigami lover before plunging into his body and claiming the delicious mouth that now tasted of the both of them. His reiatsu burned softly around them and although he tried to control the strength of his thrusting, the soft hands gripped him and urged him to move faster…to push in deeper. Breathy, incoherent moans reached his ears and he lost all control at the sound. He pounded into the slender, white body, his mind disappearing into the pleasure. He heard his name…just a whisper in the torrent that raged around them and everything disappeared into the sound of that voice. He thrust in hard and emptied himself in sharp, seething pulses, listening to the sweet sounds the shinigami made and feeling the explosion of warmth on his skin. He pulled free of Byakuya's arms and bent over him, slowly licking the shinigami's seed from the soft skin of his chest and abdomen. Afterwards, he fell again on that wonderful mouth, burying himself in it until finally sleep overtook him. Byakuya rested quietly in his arms for a long time after, watching the Espada's face in the ever-present darkness. When he was sure that Grimmjow was asleep, he freed himself from the hollow and slipped outside again. He summoned a hell butterfly and spoke a message into it.

_"I have located files on the ones affected by the poison, as well as my target. I will study the information and decide what to do from there. The subject continues to show signs of a set of values, a desire to protect what he considers his. He shows signs of concerning himself also with what others believe about him, as well as deep sensitivity when he is misunderstood. He does seem to evince characteristics not associated with most hollows. I will continue to observe and report."_

He sensed movement in the cave and sent the hell butterfly winging away. Grimmjow found him staring up at the stars again, and gently took his hand and led him back inside.


	3. Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When amorous emotions flare between Byakuya and Grimmjow, something very odd happens...

Grimmjow kept one arm wrapped around his servant's slender body and ran the fingers of the other hand through the shinigami's silken hair. He let his fingers slide lazily over the soft expanse of his skin, lingering on his cheek, the long, graceful throat and down the length of his back. He didn't mean to make himself aroused again, but it was happening anyway. The shinigami felt the pressure where his body lay across the Espada's and a dark gray opened and observed him appraisingly. Grimmjow read the expression as willing, but as always with this man, cool and distant. He caught the hand that slid down his abdomen and laced their fingers together.

"You know," he said quietly, "we don't have to have sex every time we lie down together. Not that I don't have the urge…who the fuck wouldn't be turned on every time they were touched by you, ne? But it isn't necessary to listen to that instinct all of the time."

"Are you saying that you don't want me to pleasure you except when you ask me to?" queried Byakuya, looking at him with curiosity.

"No," said Grimmjow, "It just means that you shouldn't feel obligated to respond every time I get hard. I think we'd both get pretty damned tired very quickly. And anyway, I can tell that even though you are willing, you don't seem to desire it…and it wasn't a condition of your subservience anyway. It was only really required during the marking ritual. I think that it shouldn't continue if it is one sided is what I'm saying. You don't strike me as the insincere type…or one who does things like that without connecting to his emotions. And I do feel the way you detach when we are having sex."

"I…detach?" Byakuya repeated, frowning.

"Yeah…your body is engaged, but one look in your eyes tells me that you are somewhere else. I guess it's understandable considering you are just doing this to save your sister. There is true resolve in what you're doing, but it's as though you won't let your heart be involved in any of it. That's pretty smart strategically, but you'll wear down that heart awfully quickly, shutting it off like that. Too much of that and you'll end up like me…hollow where your heart should be."

Byakuya sighed softly and let his head fall onto Grimmjow's shoulder.

"I may not have a hole in my body…but what there was of a heart disappeared a long time ago."

"You mean…you're always like this when you have sex with someone?" Grimmjow asked, surprised, "I sure wouldn't have expected that…not from you."

"I haven't had sex with anyone in over fifty years, not since I lost my wife to illness."

"But just like that, you gave it up for me? Well me technically, but really for your sister."

"She is actually my late wife's sister, who I took into my family after my wife's death."

"It sounds to me like you were really devoted. Was there anyone before your wife?"

Byakuya closed his eyes.

"No."

"So all you've ever known is sex that was connected to love, but now you can trade it for my help finding your sister? That easily?"

"My wife asked me to protect her sister. I am doing this to honor that promise."

"Okay…completely understandable…but just try to understand this. When I am with someone, it is always an honest exchange. If I initiate sex with you, then it's fine for you to respond with your body and not your heart. You are a servant. If I want something from you, you obey. There is truth in what both of us do. But if you are the one who initiates sex, then you should only do that if you desire it…not because you think I want it. I will tell you what I want. When you initiate something like that, your heart should be in it…or it is a lie. And I hate lies. Lies are destructive. Lies can kill. You can feel whatever you want, or withhold whatever you don't want to share, but don't offer me something unless it is offered with honesty. Does that make sense to you?"

Byakuya nodded.

"Then, I think it's time for me to give you your name."

The shinigami's intelligent gray eyes fastened on him curiously.

"Shin…it has many meanings. Truth…fidelity…faith…and heart. I think it suits you perfectly," Grimmjow said, slipping his fingers back into the dark strands of Byakuya's hair, "And one more thing, Shin, don't ever again tell me you are heartless. You are no more heartless than this desert is wet. You have heart to spare…maybe enough to replace the one I lost, ne?"

He paused to admire the look of genuine gratitude in the shinigami's eyes.

"Now…if you don't mind," he went on, "I think that I will indulge in you for a bit. I want to hear how your name sounds when I say it while making love with you."

Without waiting for an answer, he tightened his fingers in the shinigami's hair and attacked his warm mouth hungrily. He thrust his tongue in deeply and was surprised at the intensity of his servant's response. His tongue curled lightly around Grimmjow's, his mouth opened wider to invite a more thorough exploration, and the dark eyes that always seemed so distant held unexpected warmth. And when their bodies joined, those eyes remained clear and focused. Grimmjow felt a sudden flurry of emotion that seemed to center where his heart used to be. He wondered then if it hadn't been a mistake to say what he had. Because now there was no question what was happening. The shinigami's heart was starting to turn in his direction. He thought about the connotations of that and knew he couldn't let it happen. When push came to shove, they were vastly different creatures, neither of whom belonged in the other's world. For this one to attach himself to a hollow was foolish…foolish and reckless. But somehow as he became one with the shinigami, he didn't feel like a hollow anymore. He didn't feel dead and lonely and cold. His body hummed with warmth and life, his head spun with pleasure and he could almost feel a soft pulse coming from that place where his heart had once been. And even knowing how soon it would likely end, he couldn't help but wrap himself in it for as long as it lasted.

He thrust in deeply, seeking the center of pleasure inside the shinigami's writhing body. The soft hands tightened on him and the shinigami's back arched. Their eyes locked and their lips met, then Grimmjow released the name he had given the shinigami in something between a whisper and a soft moan. He felt Shin's body react…a hard shiver, a catching of breath and the explosion of hot seed onto their skin. The look in the gray eyes was feverish and stunned and it brought a smile to Grimmjow's lips as he thrust in hard and held their bodies tightly together…as the very life pulsed out of him and into the other. And being pressed against each other that way, it almost felt like the heart that was beating with such force and abandon was his own. Then, looking down into the shinigami's stricken expression, he realized that it was…

He tore himself away and sat on the edge of the bed, holding a hand over the hole in his chest. It was faint and he might have been imagining it, but he still felt that soft pounding beneath his skin. He stared at Shin in disbelief.

"What did you do to me? What is this?" he asked, his face going white, "Did you…was it you? Did you do something to me? Tell me!"

"I did nothing," said Shin, reaching out and placing a hand against the hollow's chest.

He drew back in surprise, his eyes wide and his breath catching. Grimmjow stood and started backing towards the door. Shin rose and started to follow.

"No!" said Grimmjow sharply, "Don't come near me! Don't touch me!"

He turned and disappeared out the door…into the desert…moving as fast as he could with no destination.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya looked on in stunned silence as Grimmjow disappeared. His eyes continued to stare in the direction the hollow had gone for some time after. He knew better than to follow. Both because of the prevalence of enemies and because he sensed that the hollow needed to regain control, he held himself in place and considered his options. He knew that what the two of them had felt was real. There was no mistaking it. But he dared not seek answers from the Seireitei about such a thing. There was only one safe place to find answers now. He summoned a hell butterfly.

"Urahara-san, I know that you are busy with the samples Unohana taichou sent to you, but I must ask you an important question. Has a hollow ever been known to show signs of regaining his heart? I think you will understand my need to have the question and answer kept in confidence. Please respond as soon as you are able."

He sent the small creature winging away and turned back into the cave. Sighing in frustration, he turned to the only thing likely to keep him distracted until the hollow returned. He picked up the file containing Rukia's information and pored over the pages slowly, from beginning to end. He shivered softly at the details of what had happened to her as she battled her way to Orihime's side. He shook his head, amazed at the thoroughness of what had been recorded. There were numerous references to video feeds stored in computers at the fortress. Byakuya wondered if perhaps he should go back. It was possible that a working computer could be found within the fortress. There had to be some places the traitors had secreted themselves at times to consider strategy…and Aizen, he knew, had watched those around him closely. Yes, he had to go back and conduct a more extensive search. And as he continued to search the files on the ones poisoned, he realized that, as most of the scientific notes recorded were taken by Gin, that his search should center on that man's room and lab.

He looked up and reached out with his senses, trying to figure out how far away Grimmjow was. Still unable to sense the hollow, he decided that it would be better to go and conduct the search on his own. He set the cloak and hood in place, then left the cave and flash stepped back to Las Noches. He used the dock area entrance Grimmjow showed him and kept his reiatsu carefully controlled. The hallways were silent as he traversed them on catlike feet, reaching out with his senses and trying to center on Gin's reiatsu. It was faint, but he was still able to follow it past the throne room and into the living areas. He found the room that held the most of Gin's reiatsu and slipped inside. A basic search yielded little but a confirmation that this had been Gin's room. But then, Byakuya knew that Gin was not a trusting person…and he would have kept his personal things in a hidden place. He made his way around the room again, probing the area carefully. He caught a surprised breath as he suddenly found what he had been looking for…a reiatsu trail that led into a wall…a hollowness when tapped. He raised his power, teasing it gently until it was identical to Gin's. It was a horrendously difficult technique that only a few had ever managed. He had managed it once, but wasn't sure he could fool whatever device Gin used to protect the chamber. He found a hidden release and, holding his breath, activated it. There was a soft whirring sound that made him step back in sudden wariness. That bit of caution saved him from being killed instantly as sharp knives exploded out of the walls.

His shielding destroyed most of them, but several broke through and sank into shoulder, chest and side. He held himself back from crying out and pulled the weapons free, then dropped onto the bed, panting with pain and using whatever he could reach to staunch the flow of blood. The hits he had taken were serious…perhaps life threatening if not treated. He dragged himself to his feet and made his way back to the infirmary, where he used what medical supplies he could find to bind his wounds. But he knew he had lost a lot of blood. He couldn't stay in the fortress because of the very real threat of discovery. Neither did he want to give away his route out of the fortress by leaving blood traces. Instead, he broke for the entry at flash step speed. Abandoning stealth, he used his speed to break free of the fortress and then charged out into the desert. The area came alive around him, hollows seeming to crawl from every shadow and crevice. The marking on his body seemed to deter most of them, but several more powerful hollows gave chase. They never came close enough for him to have been in danger of capture, but they pushed him to use his full speed. And hurt as he was, he simply couldn't maintain that kind of speed for very long. As he drew closer to the cave, he felt his flash step slowing. His breathing became rough and his heart pounded strangely. He slowed to a walk, sensing that his pursuers had given up the chase.

As he reached the cave entrance, he called Grimmjow's name, but received no answer. He entered the cave and concealed himself in the inner room and closing the door behind him. He removed his torn and bloodied clothing and bandages, carefully bathed, then bandaged his wounds again and wrapped himself in a warm yukata. Still feeling lightheaded from loss of blood, he dropped onto the bed and fell asleep almost immediately.

He woke sometime later to the sound of a garbled voice saying his name. Opening his eyes only revealed that his vision, too, had been affected and all that registered was a haze of blue. He felt an ache in his throat and a strange heaviness to his body. Even breathing seemed to hurt.

He heard the distorted voice again and shivered as his yukata was opened and icy hands touched him. He heard a hiss of frustration and more words he couldn't understand, then a cool cloth was placed on his forehead. Healing light rose up around him, but even that couldn't seem to stop the spinning feeling in his head, the flashes of heat on his skin and the hard shivers that gripped his whole body.

A warm body wrapped around his and the flare of healing energy rose up again. He heard a voice in his ear, but even though he knew whose it must be, it refused to resolve itself in his head. He tried to speak, but all that he could manage was a soft groan of discomfort, which was immediately met with an admonishing whisper and light pressure on his lips.

He managed to drift off for a time, but woke in a heavy sweat, shaking and leaking reiatsu. Cold hands found his wrists and sealed away his power and he heard that familiar voice talking to him again. He couldn't understand or answer, but he managed to place slight pressure on the hand that held his. Finally, one word reached him.

"Sleep."

He drifted off again, but as he faded out, felt his body being lifted and carried. He didn't know how long he lay, suspended in someone's arms, but he knew they were moving swiftly. He felt it when the one carrying him slowed and he was taken inside somewhere.

He was set down somewhere soft and he could hear a second voice along with the first. Again, he tried to speak, but soft hands touched his face and sent him spinning away. Everything faded into darkness and near silence, the only sound reaching him, a soft rushing in his ears.

He woke later, thrashing and groaning in pain and felt strong hands capture him and hold him down. The voices were clearer now and he was catching more words.

"…sleep…you need…here…am not leaving and neither are you. Rest, Shin…shh…rest."

He let himself drift off and slept more peacefully. When he came awake again, his body was considerably cooler and more comfortable. His yukata had been replaced with another and he was buried in soft blankets.

"He looks better," he heard Grimmjow say in a low voice, "I think he might have decided to stay with us. Thanks."

"Nel is happy she could save the pretty shinigami's life," said a childlike voice, "Nel was worried she might not be able to and he would die. That would make Nel sad. That would make Nel cry!"

"Hey…don't start that again!" Grimmjow complained, "Every time you start crying, those idiots show up and give me an awful headache!"

"Nel's friends aren't idiots!"

"Okay, sorry. Look…how much longer do you think he will sleep?"

"Nel isn't sure, but he shouldn't leave here for at least two days. His wounds were very bad and there was a poison. If Nel hadn't…"

"Yeah, I know," Grimmjow said solemnly, "I saw. I don't need a recap. Just…thanks, Nel."

"Nel was happy to help."

The voices faded away and the room grew quiet again. As Byakuya drifted off again, he felt a warm body wrap around his and felt soft breath on his skin.

"Baka," Grimmjow muttered, "You should have stayed put like I told you."


	4. Heart to Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nel and Grimmjow heal an injured Byakuya as Grimmjow struggles to undertand why his heart has begun to beat again.

Byakuya opened his eyes and found himself looking at a scraggly toddler hollow with a broken mask on her head. She smiled at him, but her eyes were watering and her cheeks appeared to be filled with something…

"What…?" he began, then was stopped as the small girl's mouth opened wide and expelled something warm, wet and slimy onto his bared shoulder, chest and abdomen.

He tried to sit up, but the child began to frantically wave her arms to stop him.

"What…what are you…d-doing?" he said, his teeth chattering slightly as the disgusting liquid dribbled down his body and began to sink beneath his skin and cool.

"Nel makes saliva to fix your wounds," the girl said, wide-eyed.

As much as his stomach quailed, he was curious.

"Your…it…that…has healing powers?" he asked, staring.

Nel nodded.

It heals the cuts and the poison in them," she explained.

"You can cure poison?" he asked quickly.

The girl nodded.

"Some poisons I can cure, like the one in your cuts. Some I can't."

Byakuya's eyes grew intense.

"May I send a sample of that fluid to some friends? You see, my sister has been poisoned and I am trying to find a cure for that poison."

"Nel doesn't mind, but Nel wonders why the pretty shinigami looks here for that," Nel said, frowning.

"I am looking here because this is where my sister and her friends were when they were somehow poisoned. I have to find where and how they were poisoned…and I must find a way to cure it."

The girl tilted her head to the side.

"Does Nel know your sister?" the girl asked, "We don't see so many shinigamis here, especially now that Aizen Sousuke went to prison."

"She was here before that. Her name is Rukia."

Nel's eyes went wide.

"Nel knows Rukia! Nel does! She came with Ichigo! They are Nel's friends too! Rukia is poisoned? That's terrible! It makes Nel sad! It makes Nel cry!" she said, her eyes filling with tears.

Byakuya watched in stunned silence as the mouth that had expelled the healing saliva opened wide again and loosed a howl of despair. The sound rang in his ears and send pain like shards of glass through his head.

"Oh…" he groaned, covering his ears, "Oh…child…don't cry. I'm here to find a cure."

Nel stopped the horrid sound, but froze with her mouth open and tears running down her face.

"Pretty Shinigami will find a cure?" she said, wide-eyed, "Can Nel help?"

"Oh…um…" Byakuya stammered, trying to untie his tongue, "well, it's dangerous. I have to search Las Noches and there are many dangerous hollows there. I wouldn't want you to be hurt as I was…"

"Please take Nel? Please? Please?" she went on, sending fresh bolts of pain through his head, "Nel won't be hurt by hollows. Nel knows how to stay out of the way! Please take Nel? Please?"

"Well…I…"

"Better plan to take her along, Shin," Grimmjow said from the doorway, "unless you like suffering from headaches. She is actually a lot more powerful than she looks…and she does know how to stay out of the way…right Nel?"

"That's right! Nel is good at hiding! Once Dondokchakka and Pesche and Bawabawa took a whole week to find Nel! It made them cry and cry, like this…"

"Wait…wait…" Byakuya gasped, "I know how you mean. And if Grimmjow says that it is all right, then you can go. Just…be careful. I lost many friends there when we were attacked."

Nel's eyes went wide again.

"You were with the boy who likes Renji-san?" Nel asked, "He said he was looking for another shinigami…was he looking for you?"

"You…saw Rikichi?" Byakuya said, an eye darting to Grimmjow, "What happened to him? Where did he go? I saw him carried off by a female hollow with legs like a horse."

Nel giggled.

"Pretty Shin is funny! He doesn't know it was Nel's other form!"

"It's her resurreccion…her more powerful form. She saved your friend."

"You have my gratitude for that," Byakuya said, meeting her eyes warmly, "but where is Rikichi now?"

"Nel sent him back to his world. He said he would be back for the other shinigami. So you don't have to worry about Rikichi-san. He is safe."

"That is a relief," Byakuya sighed, leaning back against the pillows, his eyes drooping wearily.

"Oh, Pretty Shin needs to sleep now. Do your wounds hurt anymore? If they do, then Nel can heal them again."

"Actually…they do not feel so bad at all now. Your power has taken much of the pain away…arigato."

"Nel," said Grimmjow, "Why don't you go and find Dondochakka and Pesche and see if they found anything interesting today."

Nel nodded and disappeared. Grimmjow stood with his arms crossed and his back against the wall.

"So…" he said in a low voice, "you look a lot better. We should be able to go back to my place tomorrow."

"What about searching Las Noches?" Byakuya asked, "I was near to getting into Gin's secret lab. I must get inside to…"

"Don't you listen?" Grimmjow said tersely, "We're going back to my place. You aren't in any shape to be running around the fortress. Just lie there and get some rest for now. Do you want Nel to bring you some tea?"

"Oh…no…I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to stay awake to drink it."

"Fine then. I'll be back in the morning," Grimmjow said, turning away.

"Wait," Byakuya said, stopping him, "Where are you going?"

"Out. I'll be back in the morning."

Without another word, he disappeared. Byakuya leaned back against the pillows, his body still aching and his mind pondering the hollow's change in behavior.

He began to feel his heart beating. Being that he is a hollow, it has to have been a shock to him. Perhaps he just needs time…

He reached out with his senses and was immediately sorry as his head throbbed and his stomach pitched at the outlay of power. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but couldn't get past how close he had been to finding his answers before being injured.

"Nel was wondering if Pretty Shin would like to talk alone," said a voice from his darkened doorway.

"What would you like to talk about, child?" he asked softly.

"Nel wonders if something she remembers is right. Nel remembers sitting on a sand dune and watching the shinigamis fight with Yammy…and there was a pretty shinigami with decorations in his hair. He looked like you. He was one of the taichous."

Byakuya met her eyes silently.

"Are you going to kill Grimmjow?" she asked in a trembling voice.

Byakuya sighed.

"No," he said softly, "That is not why I was sent."

"But Nel thinks you aren't only here to help Rukia."

"No," he admitted, "I have another mission…but I do not want Grimmjow to know. He would misunderstand. He would be angry."

Nel giggled.

"Grimmjow is always angry," she said, smiling sadly, "Nel thinks that he's not happy being a hollow. But he was scared."

"He was…scared?" Byakuya repeated questioningly.

"He thought that Pretty Shin was going to die. He was pacing and growling and yelling at Dondochakka and Pesche until they ran away crying. Then he got quiet and he told Nel something. He told Nel that his heart started to beat again…and he remembered that a very long time ago, before he was a hollow, he was a shinigami. But something awful happened to him and he became like us. He doesn't remember because it was so long ago. But when his heart started to beat, he remembered being in the Rukongai of Soul Society. I think it made him sad to remember."

"I'm sorry," Byakuya whispered, "I feel as though that was my fault. He was with me when his heart started to beat and I wonder if it happened because of me…something I did. I don't know what it was, but…I'm worried for him."

"Pretty Shin…loves Grimmjow?"

"I…I…" Byakuya stammered, looking down at his hands, "I'm not sure. I do know that I don't want anything bad to happen to him. I wonder where he went."

"He went to the fortress to watch others challenge The Beast."

"Who is that?" Byakuya asked.

Nel moved closer and climbed onto the bed next to him.

"The Beast is a big, smelly, mean hollow that no one can seem to kill. He kills lots of other hollows and some hollows call him their master. But he is always angry and he kills everyone who comes near him. They say that the new king will be the one who kills him."

"Does Grimmjow plan to fight him?"

Nel laughed.

"No, of course not! Grimmjow hates being a hollow! He wouldn't want to be king. He wanted Nel to be queen, but Nel won't kill The Beast. Nel hates killing!"

"Grimmjow believes that your powers are strong enough that you could kill The Beast?"

"Nel was third Espada a long time ago, but didn't like it. Nel and her friends went away from Las Noches because Nel doesn't like to kill."

"But one who rules this place must sometimes kill to keep the peace…to keep order. Do you understand?"

"Nel understands," the little hollow said, nuzzling closer to him, "Nel just hates fighting and hurting."

Byakuya loosed a soft sigh and wrapped an arm around her.

"I do too."

She stared up at him in amazement.

"But Pretty Shin is even more powerful than Nel! Pretty Shin and the mean shinigami beat Yammy and Pretty Shin is a taichou!"

"But that doesn't mean that I enjoy fighting. I think that the most respectable defenders of our lands are the ones who hate fighting…the ones who love peace and order, but who lift their swords, hurt, kill, or die, because if they don't, worse things will happen. And those powers that we are given are there to help us defend what is important to us. So yes, I hate fighting, but I will fight to protect what is important."

He paused for a moment, looking down at her.

"I think that you already know this, Nel…but sometimes understanding is not enough. Sometimes we must learn from experience. Sometimes it is the only way."

"Pretty Shin is very wise, Nel thinks."

She cuddled up against him and closed her eyes.

"Nel is sleepy. Does Pretty Shin know any stories?"

Byakuya smiled.

"Perhaps."

"Will you tell Nel a story?"

Byakuya nodded.

"What kind of story?" he asked.

She opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by the arrival of a hell butterfly. Byakuya caught his breath softly, realizing it was an emergency message.

_This a priority one message…Byakuya, we have come to realize something important about the poisonings. The original ones who were affected by the poison are not the only cases. Since you left the Seireitei, all personnel dispatched to Hueco Mundo during that time have shown signs of poisoning. Unohana taichou, Kurotsuchi taichou, Zaraki taichou and the subordinates who were included in the mission have had to be placed in cryogenic suspension. Urahara Kisuke has been called to assist us, and has informed us that the poison is placed by exposure to Hueco Mundo. It seems to be something that is emitted into the environment and is circulated on the desert breezes during the sandstorms. He has samples and is continuing to analyze them, but he says that you must find the source of the poison and neutralize it before we can risk anyone else entering Hueco Mundo. Realize that the clock is ticking for you now. Although Urahara Kisuke says that the progress of the poison is slowed while still in Hueco Mundo, it will eventually overcome you. You must find the source of the poison before you succumb to it. Otherwise, all of the ones affected will die!"_

"Oh no!" cried Nel, her eyes filling with tears, "Pretty Shin is still poisoned? Nel will stop it!"

She leaned over Byakuya and placed her hands on his chest, focusing deeply. White power flared around the two and flowed into the shinigami's body. Nel furrowed her brow and raised her power. Tears ran down her face as she focused harder.

"Nel is trying, Pretty Shin, but Nel can't stop this! It is a powerful poison that is inside Pretty Shin. It was so powerful that Nel couldn't see it until she knew it was there!"

"What's all the noise?" said Grimmjow from the doorway, "I thought I told you to let Shin sleep. He needs to if he's going to get better."

"But…but he…he…"

Nel descended into sobs. Grimmjow frowned down at her questioningly, then looked up at Byakuya.

"What's with her? Did something happen while I was gone?" the Espada asked quickly.

"Grimmjow has to help!" sobbed Nel, "Pretty Shin has the other poison in him…and if no one finds out how to stop it, then Pretty Shin is going to die!"

Nel stopped for a moment.

"The message said that everyone who came to Hueco Mundo got poisoned. That…that means Ichigo and all his friends…all of them…"

"Don't worry about it Nel," Grimmjow said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "We're going to find a cure for them."

He looked up at Byakuya.

"That's why Shin is going to rest as he's been told…because tomorrow we are going to start looking for that cure."

"Really?" said Nel, rubbing her wet eyes and gazing up at him hopefully, "We'll save them?"

"Yeah," said Grimmjow, "We aren't going to let anyone die…I promise."

Nel let out a long, shuddering sigh. Grimmjow shook his head reprovingly.

"Now scram, will you? Shin has to sleep…and so do you. You're coming with us."

"Okay!" said the girl, jumping up excitedly.

She looked down at where her tears had dropped onto Byakuya's skin.

"Nel cried on Pretty Shin," she observed.

"Not to worry," said Byakuya, patting her on the head, then watching as she scampered away, "It isn't the worst thing that's found its way onto my skin today…"

He looked up at Grimmjow.

"I don't suppose there is a place to shower?"

"What?" said Grimmjow, smirking, "This is Hueco Mundo! There aren't any sources of water."

"What about the shower in your cave?" Byakuya asked.

"It is supplied by Las Noches…and will eventually run dry. Sorry," he said, looking amused, "You're just going to have to get used to being dirty for awhile!"

"Hmm…" said Byakuya, noting his filthy skin, "It does seem that it can't be helped."

"Shut up and go to sleep, now," Grimmjow said, returning to the doorway.

"Grimmjow…"

"What?"

"Why are you avoiding me?"

"You're kidding right?" said the Espada, staring, "The last time I got next to you, my heart started beating again. I'm a hollow. Hollows don't have hearts, don't you get it? It isn't natural! And even if it was real…it probably wouldn't last."

He met Byakuya's eyes meaningfully.

"And some of us don't like being teased like that. Now shut up and go to sleep. I'll be back when it's time to leave."

He disappeared before Byakuya could answer. Sighing, he turned onto his side and looked out the small opening that was cut into the wall next to him. He stared at the stars and crescent moon until his eyes wouldn't stay open. Just as he was drifting off, another hell butterfly appeared. Urahara Kisuke's voice rose up out of it.

_Byakuya…what you described to me…that effect…I need to know everything that happened around it. I've heard of it happening, but only in very rare cases. I need to know the exact circumstances that surrounded this. Where was the hollow when this happened? To what things might he have been exposed? What was he doing just before it happened? Don't worry, I won't tell anyone what you tell me. Obviously, there are things about this that should be kept quiet…especially because of Soutaichou's subdirective. Yeah, I know why you were sent there…that it wasn't just to find the cure for the poison. And I'm going to give you a warning you need to listen to. Don't get distracted. Focus on what Soutaichou sent you to do and avoid doing anything that will get in the way of that mission…understand? Because I have an inkling already about what you're going to tell me…and if it's as I suspect, then you are in danger of sabotaging your own mission. Focus, Kuchiki taichou…or you'll blow everything! And if you do, quite a few people are going to die, including your sister and you…Just thought you should hear it again. Wouldn't want you to forget what's a stake here…"_

"What was that?" said Grimmjow from the doorway, "You got a message from the Seireitei?"


	5. Payback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grimmjow returns to Las Noches to exact revenge for what was done to Byakuya.

Byakuya noted the wary look in Grimmjow's eyes and nodded.

"I actually received two messages. The earlier message that Nel spoke of told me that in addition to the ones who came with Ichigo to rescue Orihime, all of the taichous and subordinates who came to help in the rescue have been affected by the poison."

Grimmjow looked at him carefully.

"Nel said you were poisoned. That means that you must have been here when the taichous came," he said in a low, suspicious tone, "but being that I was unconscious, I don't know who was in that group."

"But understand that even if I hadn't been here before, I would have been poisoned anyway. The message also said that the poison is being emitted from some point in Hueco Mundo and travels on the sandstorms. And now, in addition to finding a cure, I must find the source of the poisoning and neutralize it, so that the poisoning stops."

"Hmmm…" muttered Grimmjow, frowning, "What was the second message?"

"I was concerned about what happened to you, but I knew you wouldn't want me to tell anyone, so I contacted someone who I knew would be discreet, and one who knows a great deal about the hollows. I asked if he had ever come across a hollow with those conditions. The second message was a set of questions he asked to help him with his research."

"You told him about me?" Grimmjow growled, his voice rising.

"No," said Byakuya quickly, "I gave no identifying information. And if you do not wish to have this man's help, I do not have to send a reply. But I had hoped that…given your reaction…that I might be able to help you find out why that happened."

Grimmjow sighed in annoyance.

"Hell, anyone can figure that out! What happened was that you finally let down your guard and instead of just having sex, we made love. Are you really going to reveal to someone that you were fucking a hollow willingly? That oughta go over well at home!"

"Precisely why I did not send the message home, but to this other person…who I trust to be both nonjudgmental and discreet."

"Huh…well, I hope you're right…because your ass will fry if your soutaichou finds out. That's got to be worth a death sentence, right?"

"Most likely," Byakuya admitted.

He paused, studying the blue-haired Espada's calming expression.

"I hope you are not angry with me for taking liberties about what happened to you. I was concerned for you…as I said…and I thought that perhaps this friend of mine could shed some light on what it was."

Grimmjow held his eyes for several long minutes, then his eyes softened.

"Guess I can't be too upset, seeing as I took off like that and you are going to keep this quiet. It may not earn a death sentence, but many of the hollows would certainly look down on me for falling for a shinigami. I mean, how stupid is that?"

The Espada froze as the admission left his lips. He closed his eyes and let out a frustrated breath.

"That's it, right? That's got to be why it happened. It didn't just happen because we opened up sexually…fuck, this bad, Shin."

"Why?" asked Byakuya, "because we come from different worlds? Grimmjow, Nel told me that you were once a shinigami."

"She has a big mouth."

"She was trying to help," said Byakuya, "and she may have been on to something…"

"I don't give a shit. Shin, you are a shinigami and I'm a hollow, end of story! This thing that happened was just some kind of mistake because we opened up too much. It doesn't mean anything…and it won't change anything, so give it a rest! Ask your friend whatever questions you want, but he's just going to tell you the same thing. This is not some fucking fairy tale where you screw the frog and he turns into a prince, okay? I am a hollow…"

"You don't need to be offensive," Byakuya said in an annoyed tone, "I understand what you're saying without that."

"Hollows are offensive. Live with it!"

"And in any case, in popular lore, a mere kiss is enough to bring about the frog's transformation. Coitus is unnecessary."

"What are you? A damned encyclopedia of folklore? Just do us both a favor and shut up! You're annoying!"

"Splendid," said Byakuya, "Offensive and Annoying, a perfect match. We could write our own fractured fairy tale…"

"Ugh, stop!"

"And the proper word would have been 'anthology' not encyclopedia."

"He doesn't shut up or get any less annoying! What the hell was I thinking making this ass my servant?"

"As you so eloquently stated before, I am a shinigami. The only one making an ass of himself around here is you."

"That's it! Shut up!" Grimmjow yelled, jumping onto the bed.

Byakuya's eyes widened as the Espada's hand caught his and pushed them down on either side of his head. The hollow's uninjured form held his down easily and the snarling face moved in close to his.

"In case you forgot," Grimmjow snapped, "You agreed to become my servant! That means that you do what I tell you! I told you to shut up and get some sleep and if you don't, then I'm going to knock you out!"

"And how," Byakuya said calmly, "do you expect me to fall asleep with you yelling at me and lying on top of me?"

"Well what do you expect me to do? You won't shut up! You keep going on and on, just like one of those stupid sets of chattering teeth Nel plays with!"

"I beg your pardon…but did you just compare me to a child's toy? I guess that means the child in this case would be you!"

Fierce blue eyes locked with stubborn gray and Grimmjow clenched his teeth in fury.

"Knock it off! What do I have to do to get you to shut up?" he roared.

"I would suggest that you stop yelling at me and if you are going to lie on top of me, you should consider relieving the sexual tension so we can both sleep," Byakuya said, sounding completely unruffled.

"Relieving the…" Grimmjow began, then he stopped and groaned, "Fuck! Fine, I give up! Go ahead and talk all you want and don't sleep! One less fucking shinigami is no skin off my nose!"

He climbed off the bed and stomped to the door. Feeling the shinigami's eyes on him, he couldn't help but look back to where Byakuya rested on the bed, watching him and almost smiling.

"I know I'm going to regret this," the Espada groaned, "but why the hell are you looking at me like that? Are you trying to drive me insane? What kind of expression is that anyway?"

"It is called an 'affectionate' expression. Good night, Grimmjow."

The hollow sighed heavily.

"Good night, Shin," he said, turning away.

Byakuya closed his eyes and sighed softly. In minutes, he was asleep. Grimmjow watched quietly from the shadows, enjoying the way the moon lit his face. He had to keep reminding himself that this was a shinigami and he was a hollow…that they had no business becoming attached to each other. Shin would have to leave eventually and Grimmjow hated knowing how that was going to make him feel. But they came from different worlds. There was no avoiding that. And after what happened, the blue-haired Espada knew that he couldn't afford to forget that again. He had thought, at first, that a short-term relationship would be fine. It was just about the shinigami's obvious beauty and Grimmjow's loneliness. It had made sense for him at the time.

He hadn't expected that he would react so strongly…and for some reason, he had felt guilty knowing that Shin had only been intimate with his wife, prior to her death…that he hadn't been with anyone since.

Well…except for the horde of hollows that had raped him…and the Espada who had made him feel like a possession. So, he thought, maybe it wasn't just the oddness that had happened…the beating of a heart that shouldn't be there. Maybe there was more to it than that. Shin was beautiful and despite the power he sensed in the shinigami, he was emotionally vulnerable. He didn't, Grimmjow thought, belong with a damned hollow, who probably just reminded him of the ones that had tormented him.

"Can't Grimmjow sleep?" asked Nel softly from somewhere in the hallway near him.

"Not really," he said shortly, "You should be asleep."

"Nel was wondering something."

"Yeah?"

"Did you find them all? All of the ones who hurt Pretty Shin?"

"Yeah, I did. Killed every damned one of them. Sorry, I know that bothers you, but after what they did…"

"Nel knows Grimmjow was mad because they hurt his shinigami. Nel thinks you should tell Pretty Shin they are gone. Sometimes Pretty Shin has terrible nightmares. Nel took away his dreams sometimes while he was having nightmares and knows they were about the hollows you killed. Maybe if he knew they were gone…"

"It wouldn't matter," said Grimmjow in a low voice, "those kinds of things don't go away just because they're gone. You should know that. You have pain in your past."

"Yes, Nel does. Maybe Grimmjow is right."

"Besides," he went on, "Where one of those bastards falls, ten more appear. There are always more just waiting to hurt anyone they can."

"That makes Nel sad."

"Yeah…me too, kid."

He sighed softly.

"Thanks for not saying anything," Grimmjow said, not looking at her, "I think the less Shin thinks about what happened, the sooner it will stop being so painful. Pain fades over time…"

"Nel told Pretty Shin that Grimmjow went to watch hollows fight , just like Grimmjow said. But Nel isn't sure it was the right thing…"

"It was…trust me."

He turned his head to look back at the sleeping shinigami.

"No one should get away with shit like that…no one."

The two fell silent, both watching Byakuya sleep. Finally, Nel drifted back down the hallway and into her room. Grimmjow continued watching from the darkness outside the room until his eyelids drooped and he felt himself dropping off right there, where he stood. He started to turn towards the gathering area to curl up with a pillow on the floor, but he ached to feel someone next to him…no, he corrected himself, not just someone…but Shin. He knew he shouldn't…that it was asking for trouble…but he was tired of being alone when he didn't have to. And it wasn't going to last forever, or even a long time. Despite everything, he didn't want to miss a minute of lying next to him…of listening to the soft intake and exhale of his breath…touching the soft skin and hair…meeting those intelligent, dark eyes…kissing those warm, willing lips.

Finally, he made himself step into the room. To his surprise, Shin was no longer lying down, but resting his head on his arms in the windowsill, looking out at the moon. He looked angelic with the blue light of the crescent moon curling around him, making blue highlights in the raven black hair and giving his skin a soft bluish hue. Grimmjow wasn't even tempted to speak this time…to admonish the shinigami for not sleeping. He was, in fact hoping that the reason that Shin couldn't sleep was because he longed for the company of his hollow lover. He moved onto the bed behind the shinigami and slid his arms around from behind. The easy motion with which he settled into Grimmjow's arms told the hollow that he was welcome…longed for…perhaps even loved.

And he wondered how in the hell such a thing could happen, that someone so beautiful could long for anything else that could never hope to compare to his own loveliness. It didn't make sense, but it was all written in those wide, moon-drenched eyes. They had a deeply misted, half-aware look to them, as though the light from the moon had made him feral. He stared back at the blue-haired Espada with a lonely, half-wild look and that was all it took to move Grimmjow to tighten his arms around the shinigami, to bring him down ever so slowly onto the bed, to claim the sweet parted lips. Shin yielded easily, sinking into the hollow's deep, powerful kisses, his dark eyes flashing with the reflected light of moon and stars.

He meant to just kiss, knowing that Shin should really not engage in anything more strenuous, but the shinigami's eyes burned with lust and were glazed over and uncomprehending. His skin quivered tantalizingly under Grimmjow's fingertips and though he kept his voice lowered, Shin moaned and sighed hungrily, sinking deeply into each kiss, thrusting up into Grimmjow's hips and tightening his hands on the hollow's strong shoulders until Grimmjow felt a soft sting on his skin where the pearly nails dug in.

"I wasn't going to let this happen again," he said, surprising himself by saying it aloud, "It's probably pretty stupid, considering that you're going to go back to them. Besides…I know you take this kind of thing pretty seriously. But I didn't have a clue that I did…not before you showed up. You're too damned beautiful for someone like me to resist. Hollows aren't the best models of self control in the first place, and I've already done all of the resisting I can. I know it's going to hurt like hell when you go, but I'm beyond caring. I've spent too damned much time caring about what could happen. I want to feel…"

He felt a tension in the shinigami's body as he coaxed him onto his stomach. He laid along the long, straight back, fingers and nose sinking into the thick, black hair. He might have heard a soft, shuddering sigh, but he wasn't sure if it was that or a breeze through the window. He leaned down, bringing his lips to the shell of a pale ear and capturing it…teasing it lightly.

"I know you would rather that we made love looking into each other's eyes…and if we had any chance of something that would last, I would do that…but this is safer."

Shin didn't answer, but offered no resistance as Grimmjow began to lick and suck at the soft, white skin of his throat, as he crawled down the slender back, his hands sliding down the soft sides…as he kissed his way down the perfect curve of Shin's spine and slid in between the shinigami's parted thighs. He felt a stab of guilt at the quiver that went through Shin's body as he was taken from behind…and it was then that he realized, with a hard shiver, why that would be. He knew he should have stopped, but was wrapped too tightly around his lover's body to resist. He entered Shin gently, but felt the soft catching of breath and the sudden tension that gripped the body beneath his. He held himself still for a moment, feeling the fast rise and fall of breath and the slight shaking in the shinigami's body.

"I'll stop if you want me to," he whispered against the back of the warm shoulder, "Do you want me to stop?"  
He answered with a slight shake of his head, then relaxed beneath Grimmjow. The hollow moved slowly in and out of his lover, kissing the soft skin of his shoulder, throat and fingertips. He wasn't sure what words found their way onto his lips, but they caused a warm reaction in Shin's body, making it move up and press into his. The shinigami moaned hungrily as a hand wrapped around his length and slid up and down in time with their movements. Grimmjow breathed in the sakura scent of his hair and thrust in harder, lacing their fingers together. Shin's body stiffened beneath him, then shuddered softly and tightened around Grimmjow's still thrusting member. He pushed in deeply and flattened himself along Shin's back, kissing the glowing skin and whispering his name as soft pulses of hot seed filled and sated the shinigami. They disentangled their bodies and laid quietly for some time after, exchanging deep, slow kisses.

"Grimmjow," Shin said softly, between kisses, "Arigato…for making them pay."

"You heard?" the Espada asked in a low voice.

Byakuya nodded.

"Well," said Grimmjow, "They deserved it, right? I mean, someone has to make sure there's some justice around here…"

"I'm glad you see that now, my love."

"I thought I was your master," Grimmjow said, almost smiling.

"That too," Shin whispered back.


	6. The Investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byakuya discovers that the poison does not only taint the shinigamis, but is much more frighteningly broad...

Urahara Kisuke walked down the row of cryogenic suspension tubes, carefully studying the control panels and verifying that all were still alive. They were, but even reduced to the barest minimum of what could still be called life, they were slowly dying. The cold temperature, while slowing the poison to a crawl, still could not stop it…and he didn't want to resort to the more drastic, full suspended animation, until all avenues had been explored. He shivered, thinking how much rested on the shoulders of one lone poisoned taichou.

And that taichou was distracted by a second mission of equal or maybe greater importance. As important as these dying people were, if Byakuya failed in his mission, the three worlds would remain out of balance and would begin to deteriorate. In the vacuum of Aizen Sousuke's leadership, the hollows needed someone to step forward, to restore order and bring a halt to the disorganized and unpredictable actions of the completely leaderless hollows.

But how did one follow Aizen Sousuke?

He wasn't sure he held with Soutaichou's decision to gather the information they had on surviving Espada and having the taichous decide on one to 'draft,' as it were. And tasking Byakuya, who was already entrenched in a battle to save his sister and fukutaichou's lives, with something like that was, Kisuke felt, unnecessarily cruel. Others might still miss the somber noble's attachment to Rukia, but Kisuke had seen the signs, not the least of which was the recklessness with which he had dashed to Las Noches as soon as the gate was made safe for the taichous to pass. Yes, Byakuya was surprisingly vulnerable emotionally, but was very good at hiding it…which nearly drove Kisuke insane in this situation…especially after the hell butterfly that made it clear that he was doing a bit more than 'training' the hollow for leadership.

But there wasn't anything anyone could do until the poison was eliminated and a cure found. No one was allowed to enter Hueco Mundo until then. Kisuke looked back at the bodies sleeping within the cryogenic tubes and shook his head.

"He'd better hurry," the shopkeeper said, stepping closer to the one that held Ichigo.

He studied the substitute shinigami's motionless form and sighed softly, resting his hand on the tube's translucent surface.

"Hang in there…he won't fail."

He looked across to where Rukia and Renji lay asleep as well.

"He's got too much hanging on this…"

Center>XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya woke before the others, but remained entrenched in Grimmjow's tight embrace, with his head rested on a muscular shoulder. He gazed out at the moon and stars and wondered that anything could have made him long for the end of night and the return of sunshine. Grimmjow, he thought, had been right in thinking that he would begin to suffer in absence of the natural light of Soul Society and the living world. His body felt sluggish and achy…and not simply because of his recent injury. He wondered for a moment if the feeling could mean that the poison was starting to affect him. He forced himself to stop thinking about that. It wouldn't do to let his mind enter that trap. There was nothing he could do about the poison. At least, he thought, being in Hueco Mundo seemed to slow its advance.

The thought of that made him wonder…

It was odd that whatever this poison was…that it affected the shinigamis but not the hollows…

He wondered darkly if there was a chance that they were mistaken about that. He thought about Aizen, Gin and Tousen leaving Hueco Mundo together and locking the rescuers in with the hollows. Aizen had taken the ones he thought he needed with him. Everyone else was left behind in a place the traitors never planned to return to.

Byakuya felt a chill go through him and sat up, waking Grimmjow abruptly.

"What the…?"

He froze, staring at Byakuya's terrified expression.

"What is it?" the Espada asked, sitting up and slipping an arm around him, "Did you have another nightmare. Hell, I would if I were you. This place is full of them."

"Grimmjow," Byakuya said in a shaken voice, "I need Nel."

"Okay…" said Grimmjow, looking spooked.

He disappeared into the hallway and returned a few moments later with a sleepy-faced Nel. She approached Byakuya wide-eyed.

"What's wrong, Pretty Shin?" she asked, "Are you sick?"

"No," Byakuya answered, meeting her eyes worriedly, "I need you to do a scan."

"Okay," she said, jumping up on the bed.

"N-no…not on me. On Grimmjow."

"What?" the Espada said, his eyes widening.

"Lie down," said Byakuya, "It may be nothing…"

"But you sensed something?"

"I…something occurred to me that hadn't before."

Grimmjow laid down on the bed with Nel next him on one side and Byakuya on the other. Nel bent her head and focused, letting her small hands pass over Grimmjow's body. After a few moments, her eyes went wide and fearful and tears rose in her eyes.

"Nel found the poison that is in Pretty Shin and the others!" she said, her voice breaking.

"What? It spread?" Grimmjow asked, stunned.

Byakuya placed a hand over his mouth and shook his head.

"No…then what? What the fuck is…?"

He stopped and caught his breath in amazement. He looked at Nel and patted her gently on the shoulder.

"It'll be all right. Nel…check yourself for poison."

"She wouldn't have sensed it in her own body?" Byakuya asked softly.

Grimmjow shrugged.

"She had trouble seeing it until she knew to look for it."

Pesche and Dondochakka appeared in the doorway, looking worried.

"We heard yelling," Pesche said, his voice panicked, "What happened."

Nel looked up at him and burst into tears.

"Nel and everyone is poisoned!" she sobbed.

She jumped off the bed and ran to Pesche, placing her hands on him, then switching to Dondochakka. Her sobs grew louder.

"E-e-everyone is p-poisoned! What can Nel do? Nel can't cure this poison! What do we do?"

Dondochakka and Pesche hugged Nel and their loud sobs joined hers.

Grimmjow ignored them and turned his eyes to meet Byakuya's.

"You think…they did this? To…all of us?" he asked in a low, deep growl, "They doomed our entire world to destruction? All of us…to death?"

Byakuya could see his hands clenching so tightly they shook.

"They knew just how to do it too," the Espada went on, his voice filled with hatred, "They made it so the ones who came for Orihime would die first, figuring that the hollows here wouldn't worry about a bunch of humans and shinigamis. And the poison is invisible unless you know to look for it. How long would it have taken if you hadn't figured it out?"

Byakuya's face had gone a ghostly white as realization spread inside him. Aizen had proven his malevolence when he slaughtered the councilors of Central 46…and now, apparently was attempting to add genocide to the list.

"Kami," the noble whispered, "Grimmjow…if we do not stop this…the balance of worlds will not just be affected…it will be toppled! If the balance of souls is not kept and this world collapses…the others will follow. It won't take a poison…just that destabilization…"

"Then it isn't just the hollows who have to worry, right?" Grimmjow asked, meeting Byakuya's eyes, "It's everyone's business."

"I have to contact Soutaichou…have him drop the barrier so that we can bring more searchers. We have to move quickly now!"

"And you think your Soutaichou will send more shinigamis to get poisoned."

"We are all dead anyway if we do not find the source and the cure!"

"Then send your message," the hollow said more calmly, "and then we will go to the fortress and get into Gin's lab."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Soutaichou, a message for you!"

The captain commander captured the hell butterfly and gazed at it quietly as it yielded its message.

_Soutaichou, We have made the discovery that it isn't just the shinigamis and humans who are affected by this poison. Hollows, too, are infected, but will progress more slowly than we are. We are attempting to search Las Noches for information regarding the poison. But one thing is clear…if the poison is allowed to claim all of the population of Hueco Mundo, then the balance of souls will be disrupted and when Hueco Mundo collapses, we are likely to be engulfed in that destruction. I understand I am obligated to complete my missions as assigned, however, given that time is a factor in what happens, I feel it is not out of line to risk the infection of others by sending them here to assist in the search mission. As the hollows here realize what is happening to them, they will be likely to panic. This will put me in greater danger as I continue and may put both of my missions in jeopardy._

The captain commander sighed and rested his chin on the palm of one hand, thinking. His old brow furrowed deeply. He tapped the fingers of his other hand on his desk absently as he considered his options, then summoned his fukutaichou.

"Gather the four taichous who remain on active duty and the highest ranks of each of the other squads. Have them come to the meeting chamber immediately."

"Hai, Soutaichou," the man said, bowing, then flash stepping away.

The captain commander rested his chin on his folded hands and considered carefully the wording of Byakuya's message.

"We…" he repeated softly, "Hmmm…"

XXXXXXXXXX

Grimmjow scowled as Nel scrambled up onto his shoulders.

"Damn! What are you? Some kinda freaky monkey? Get off of me!"

"Don't yell at her," said Byakuya, stepping out of the bedroom to join them, "We'll move faster if you carry her.

Grimmjow forget his annoyance and a smile crept onto his face at the sight of Byakuya in an Arrancar uniform. He chuckled softly.

""What's so funny?" Byakuya asked shortly.

"Nothing," the Espada said, smirking, "You look good in white."

Byakuya frowned.

"Actually, I look dreadful in white. Black is much more my color."

"Or maybe nice dark red," commented Grimmjow, running his eyes over the shinigami's slender form.

Byakuya's cheeks flushed cutely and Grimmjow made a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a low growl.

"Let's go," the Espada said, turning towards the door.

They started across the sand, in the direction of the fortress, noting as they went, the restlessness of the hollows they encountered. They came across several dead and examined them carefully.

"Looks like the low levels are the first to go."

"It suggests strategic thinking," Byakuya said, studying a fallen hollow, "They don't expect the hollows to care about the shinigamis and humans…or the higher level hollows to concern themselves with the lower levels. But it will slowly scale the hierarchy until the entire society collapses."

"Then it won't just be our world that fails," Grimmjow said, nodding, "The rest'll be sucked in too. I hate us hollows…even myself, but I really don't want wish them all dead…and I don't want the worlds to end."

He gazed hard at the sand his feet kicked up as he walked.

"I want know where they keep him…whatever hell he's in…it should be worse. I want to go there and tear him apart. I know the bastard would just regenerate, but then I'd keep tearing him to fucking shreds endlessly."

"Except that your life would end and he would still be there," Byakuya said softly, "I wish we could be rid of him…that somehow…we could destroy the hougyoku and he would die. He deserves it…and our worlds deserve to be free of him!"

Grimmjow glanced at him out of the corner of one ice blue eye.

"Watch it, shinigami, you're starting to sound like a hollow," he said affectionately.

Byakuya gave a small, sad smile and continued walking. They reached the back of the fortress and slipped inside, using Grimmjow's secret entrance, then they moved quietly along the abandoned hallways, past the infirmary and into the living areas. As they approached Gin's bedroom, Grimmjow placed a hand on Byakuya's arm, stopping him.

"Let me. I can break the trap and get us in."

"Just don't be loud about it," said Byakuya, shivering softly, "There might not be any hollows we can see, but I sense them all around."

"Don't worry, I can do this quietly."

He slipped into the room and left Byakuya and Nel watching out the doorway. Several minutes later, he returned.

"Okay to go in now," he told Byakuya, "I cleared everything dangerous."

Byakuya nodded and turned to go into the room, then stopped and swayed.

"Hey…you okay?" asked Grimmjow.

Byakuya nodded and caught himself on a small table beside the door. Nel stepped forward and scanned his body quickly.

"Pretty Shin's poison is starting to affect him," she said, "Nel might be able to help a little."

Byakuya sat down on the floor and Nel set her hands against the sides of his face, focusing her power. A soft glow illuminated the room as she worked. Finally, the light died and she stepped back.

"Does Pretty Shin feel better?" Nel asked.

Byakuya nodded.

"Arigato, Nel," he said, climbing to his feet.

"Hey, ah, should you be getting up so soon?" Grimmjow asked, "You still look kinda shaky."

"I'll be fine. We cannot delay. Every minute matters."

"Yeah," agreed the Espada, "but you want to be conscious and able to help us for as many of those minutes as possible, right?"

"Right," said Byakuya, "Really, though, I feel better, thanks to Nel. And I think we can go on now."

"We'll guard the door while you find what you need," Grimmjow told him, "Yell if you get into trouble."

Byakuya shook his head, smiling and moved on into the open doorway that led into Gin's lab. He was pleased to immediately find a working computer. He searched the contents as best he could, but suspected that the information he needed was in a protected file. He smiled wryly and quickly employed a mixture of his knowledge of Gin to guess at the password. Remembering his connection to a certain member of the tenth division, he punched in 'rangiku' and smiled again as the file opened.

"Not so imaginative with passwords as with other things, ne?" he said softly.

He read the contents of one file, then another and then a third. He lifted his head briefly at a sudden, muffled thumping sound, but returned to his work a moment later. As he came to the end of the searchable files, the screen suddenly blinked and Aizen's image appeared.

"Oh my," he said softly, "Do you really think that I would make it that easy for you? I know what you're searching for…and I even know who they would have sent and why…Byakuya. You want your sister and your fukutaichou to live, ne? Come and see me, then…if you can!"

The screen went blank, but Byakuya continued to stare.

"How in kami's name…?"

But Aizen had proven time and again, his ability to think ahead. Byakuya shook his head in frustration and returned to the bedroom. He was surprised to find the doorway unguarded. A small whimper made him turn. Nel peeked out from behind the bed.

"What happened," the noble asked quickly.

"There were some mean Arrancars! Grimmjow pushed Nel into the room and said to stay down and protect Pretty Shin! The bad ones were mad at Grimmjow because Grimmjow killed the others for Pretty Shin! Nel doesn't know where they went."

Byakuya's expression grew intense. He thought for a moment, then nodded.

"I will find Grimmjow. Nel, could you find Aizen's room and search it?" he asked, "Watch out for traps, and be sure to watch for any clues there might be hidden there."

Nel nodded, her eyes teary, but fierce.

"Nel will help Pretty Shin while Pretty Shin saves Grimmjow!"

Byakuya smiled and stepped back. He reached out to the side with his sword hand and focused, raising his reiatsu. Nel stared as the hilt of a sword formed in his hand and a flurry of pink petals came together and settled, forming the long, slender blade.

Nel smiled.

"Pretty Shin is strong…and will save Grimmjow!"

"Yes," promised Byakuya, "I will."

He slid the weapon into a sheath that had formed at his waist, then flash stepped down the hallway.


End file.
